


The best dads in the world

by Blodeuwedd



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Dad!Ian, Dad!Mickey, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 00:23:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11070165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blodeuwedd/pseuds/Blodeuwedd
Summary: A short glimpse of the Gallagher-Milkovich clan - a snowy night. How Ian views Mickey's skills as a dad and vice-versa, and how Yev sees them both.





	The best dads in the world

Outside it’s cold, the grey clouds darkening the sky and the falling snow quickly accumulating on the ground. The street is deserted, no one venturing outside unless they absolutely have to. Ian is glad he doesn’t have to. It’s a Saturday, thankfully, and he’s allowed to stay in and enjoy the warmth of his fireplace, the comfort of his couch and the sweet company of his family. 

 

He watched them now, playing in the living room. Mickey was on the floor, four-year-old Andy and 2-year-old Maggie sprawled on top of him, having won their play fight. Mickey was screaming, pretending to have been defeated, yelling for Yevgeny to help him. Yev sat on the armchair, engrossed on something on his tablet, probably a game, but he looked up and smiled at his father’s plea for help. 

 

Ian loved moments like these, when they could all be together. He’d long dreamed of having a family of his own, just like this, and sometimes he could hardly wrap his head about the fact that it was real, it had happened, his dream had actually come true. He observed as Mickey pretended to die and the kids jumped around, yelling that they’d won, only for Mickey to sit up again shouting “I’m a zombie now”. Mickey grabbed the kids and the play fight started again, much to the kids delight and Ian’s (and Yev’s, if his slight smile was anything to go by) amusement.

 

Ian was always marveled by how wonderful a dad Mickey had turned out to be. No matter how tired he was after a long day working, he always took time to play with their kids, and he was willing to do most anything to make them laugh. He’d roll around on the floor, take them outside in the rain to step on puddles, take them to the park, read the same book twenty times over, create costumes for their little plays, camp inside the living room and even dance to some silly choreographies, anything that would elicit a smile on their faces. He was a great dad to Yev too, and he was usually the one the teen went to for advice. Mickey knew when to pressure and when to pull back, when to nag him about doing something and went to patiently wait for him to do it himself. He took Yev to watch action movies, played video games with him and went to every single one of Yev’s judo competitions, cheering loudly when Yev’s name was said on the loud speakers. Yev would blush, the red very easily visible on his pale skin, but later Mickey was always the first one he showed his medals to. Mickey was definitely the kids’ favorite dad, but Ian was alright with that.

 

The kids shrieked and Ian winced, but laughed despite himself. They collapsed on the floor alongside Mickey, breathing heavily, and Ian wondered if Mickey had finally manage to exhaust their kids. God knew that was a tremendous feat.

 

“Who wants some hot cocoa?” he asked, rising from the couch where he had been trying (and failing) to read.

 

Andy sat up immediately. “With marshmellows, daddy?”

 

“If mashy-mellow, daddy?” Maggie parroted.

 

Ian grinned. “Of course.”

 

“Yay”, Andy shouted, quickly followed by Maggie. Ian scooped Maggie up and kissed her cheeks repeatedly, making her giggle and squirm. Andy jumped on him and he hugged them both, kissing them wherever he could reach.

 

“Daddy…” Andy whined, after he had stopped giggling. “I want hot cocoa.”

 

“Hot cocoa”, said Maggie, and Ian laughed. “All right, all right, I’ll make us some. How about we put on a cartoon for us to watch while we drink, huh?”

 

“I choose!”, shouted Andy, immediately climbing up the couch.

 

“I choose!” cried Maggie, trying to get up on the couch by herself. 

 

Ian watched as Mickey got up and helped her, sitting in the middle of their kids himself, and left to make some hot cocoa, leaving his husband to deal with the decision and the inevitable fight over what to watch on TV.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Mickey arched his back, stretching a bit, and moved his neck from side to side. These kids would be his ruin, he was sure. He was too old for this shit. He watched the kids now, one on each side of him, both curled up against him. Tiring as they may be, Mickey loved them to bits. He looked up at Yev, who had turned off his tablet and was now watching a cartoon with the little ones. He admired his older son. Yev was smart, strong, responsible, resourceful and independent and Mickey had no idea what he’d ever done right to have a kid like him, but he was extremely proud of Yev. It was mostly Svetlana’s doing and he knew he had her to thank for the wonderful teen sitting close to him right now. Her and Ian. Ian had always be there for them, he’d always cared for Yev, even when Mickey himself couldn’t yet.

 

Ian interrupted his thoughts by bringing forward two small plastic cups with hot cocoa. The kids sat up at once, screaming with excitement, impatient little hands moving forward and making grabbing gestures.

 

“Careful, it’s hot” Ian said, and gave one of the cups for Mickey to help Maggie out. He handed the other one to Andy, who was old enough to drink by himself, but repeated his warning. “Blow on it softly first, Andy. And be careful not to spill on the couch.”

 

Mickey smiled. Ian was always very careful with the kids, and he always thought about everything. With him every moment was a teachable moment and he always urged their kids to do things by themselves, while still respecting their ages and their limits and not pushing them too far. He was patient with them and made sure to let them do things by themselves once they could. He was also responsible and organized and Mickey didn’t even know where they’d be if it wasn’t for Ian managing the house. Mickey did chores, of course, and took care of the kids and played with them too, but the general managing of things was done by Ian, who never seemed to forget anything that need to be cared for. 

 

Ian came back with a mug for Yev and the teen smiled and politely thanked him. Ian ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head and Yev squirmed in protest, but smiled. Yev adored Ian, and vice-versa. Yev admired Ian and tried his best to be like him, just as responsible and kind. Ian was the one Yev always went to for help with school and judo and Mickey would sometimes watch as Ian patiently studied with Yev when he had tests. He wished he could be as patient and loving as Ian and someone their kids would look up to. Even the little ones already knew to go to Ian for learning something, like Maggie right now was learning to count and to eat on her own and Andy, who was learning the alphabet and to tie a knot. Ian was the one they asked for help, they one they sought when they needed something or just when they simply wanted to cuddle. Ian was definitely the kids’ favorite dad, but Mickey was alright with that.

 

Ian came back once more, now with two mugs, and sat carefully on the arm of the couch next to Maggie. He handed Mickey his mug and silently signed for Mickey to give him Maggie’s mug, so that he’d help her finish off. Mickey thanked him and Ian blew him a kiss. Mickey smiled, with the mug warming his hands and his family warming his heart.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Yevgeny yawned and rubbed his eyes. Another episode of the cartoon they’d been watching for the past hour and a half had ended. The little ones had fallen asleep a long time ago, but still Yev and his dads had kept on watching the cartoon, too lazy to search for something else to watch, and also somewhat invested on it.

 

The teen stretched and looked back into the couch, only to realize he had actually been the only one watching. Both Ian and Mickey were sleeping, each with a kid on his lap, their sides pressed together and their heads rolled onto the back of the couch. Yev rolled his eyes, but smiled. He knew Mickey would probably complain that his back hurt on the next day, to which Ian would reply that he needed to exercise more, which would lead to an argument Yev had heard one too many times, but that he knew not to take too seriously. They argued sometimes, like adults did, but Yev knew they cared deeply for each other, and for him and his siblings as well. His dads weren’t perfect, of course, but they were actually pretty great. Ian was loving and caring and always showed affection, while also helping him with anything and everything he needed. He nagged sometimes, especially about school, and sometimes complained about Yev being messy, but Yev knew it was the way Ian showed love. Mickey didn’t scold him much, unless it really was serious, and he was definitely not the one Yev would go to when he needed help with school, but he was incredibly supportive of Yev and was great company for nearly anything. All in all, Ian and Mickey complemented each other, and Yev knew, even though he’d still complain about them now and then, that he had the best dads in the world.

 

He got up and took their mugs to the kitchen, rinsing them and setting them on the sink, before going back to his dads’ bedroom and grabbing a large blanket. He spread the blanket over his dads and his little brother and sister, turned off the lights, and went to bed, hoping that when he had a kid he could be a dad as good as his dads.

 

 


End file.
